It Had To Be You
by Strictus
Summary: Hermione Granger is looking for a new romance in her life that will let her forget her past but, what will happen when Severus Snape is looking for exactly the same and finds her instead? One-shot.


**It Had To Be You**

Hermione Granger was tired of Ginny's male friends long before she took the decision to try out an online dating service. In fact, she was tired of male _wizards_ in general. It didn't matter that the war against Lord Voldemort and his pureblood supremacy ideology was over. Not even after twelve years since its end had the wizarding society – at least in England to Hermione's knowledge – changed more than superficially. Even though discrimination against muggle-borns and half-breeds was severely punished, elementary magical education for those kids wasn't established yet. Thus, by the time they reached Hogwarts, they had a new world to come acquainted with and were seriously disadvantaged in contrast with pure and half-blood children. The subject of Muggle Studies continued to be optional and there wasn't any similar option for wizards who had finished their education to get acquainted with the muggle world. Not even enthusiast of the likes of Arthur Weasley took it seriously; sure, they were fascinated and willing to learn but, to Hermione's taste, they were undeniably condescending in their approaches. Anyhow, Hermione found herself, at the age of thirty, unable to take their chauvinistic nature anymore and decided to try her luck with muggle men.

 _Once there was a wizard but not anymore so… This way I won't lose anything and if it doesn't work out well… I can always look for Crookshanks II._ Hermione thought as she finally took a seat in front of a free computer in the café that was just a couple of blocks away from her apartment. Taking out the receipt of the agency she had decided upon after a lengthy research, she typed the url address in the web browser and proceeded to log in with the password the agency had set up for her. _Here we go…_

* * *

Severus Snape was perusing the online version of _The Guardian_ when the other tab he always kept open brightened. _I don't know why I even bother, I shouldn't have let Lucius start me on this bloody site, who needs women?_ _He_ needed a woman, not anyone but a specific woman who had banished from the Earth seeking to get away from him. Even with the sensation he would be disappointed by a brainless muggle woman again, Severus switched tabs and checked the new match the site had paired him up.

 _Name: Jane Wilkins_

 _Profession: Practical Quantum Physicist_

 _Age: 30_

 _Interests: Field research; hiking; literature classics;_ intelligent _conversation._

 _Looking for: Male; 30 - under 60._

There was no photo along the brief description _(not that I have one either)_ nor any reference to where this person lived. _"Practical Quantum Physicist"?_ He was not that well versed on the subject of Quantum Physics but he did know it was a _theory_ branch of Physics and therefore it had to be a fake profession… _if only this woman knew what a gross understatement she has made of Charms and Transfiguration._ Also, Severus wondered why so many women always desired "intelligent conversation" when they were clearly unable to provide it in return. Studiously, he tried not to think of the only woman he knew could provide intelligent conversation _always_ as he pondered this aspect. _Granted, that is true for the great majority of people, men and women alike, but still, this must be the fifth time I see this interest highlighted._ Snorting, Severus was about to ignore the notice when he remembered Lucius's last floo call when he had threatened to let Narcissa arrange him dates with her acquaintances if he continued ignoring his match-ups and wasting his money. _Let's get over with this…_

* * *

Hermione's eyes were scanning her match-up list and she was growing more and more annoyed with what she was seeing…

 _Name: Oscar Wilde_

 _Really? I said I had an_ interest _in classics, not that I wanted to date one._ She hadn't got past the name with the first one.

 _Name: John Walker_

 _Profession: Salesman_

 _Age: 68._

 _I specifically asked for men below the age of 60!_

 _Name: Owen Clayton_

 _Profession: Looking for a lady that…_

 _No thanks._

 _Name: William Rosh_

 _Profession: School Counselor_

 _Age: 47_

 _Interests: Wrestling; hunting; riding motorcycles; shark fishing._

 _Damn! This one doesn't look so bad but I can't handle that much testosterone._

On and on the list went and Hermione was beginning to regret wasting a little fortune on this supposedly good site when she received a private message. Intrigued, she opened the profile's sender before to get an idea of with whom she would be dealing.

 _Name: Tobias Payne_

 _Profession: Unorthodox Chemist and full-time professor._

 _Age: 50_

 _Interests: Research; walking outdoors; keeping to my own._

 _Looking for: Female, preferably with brains._

 _Location: Outskirts of Scotland._

Chuckling at the profession, Hermione noted the irony that a muggle man had, unknowingly, made reference to a real profession in her world. _No age preference? Interesting… he's close too and, besides a bit grumpy, he doesn't seem half-bad either._ Getting more and more curious by the minute, she finally opened the message and was shocked at what greeted her on the screen.

 _Miss Wilkins,_

 _I just received a match-up alert with your profile and, after a quick glance, I surmised I had to type you a quick message to suit a meddlesome friend and to save you the time should you stumble across my profile. I find your interest in_ intelligent _conversation highly selfish as a conversation should, by definition, flow in two ways and I cannot conceive an intelligent woman that needs to put a fake profile up to meet unaware men. I hope this missive serves as an adequate deterrent as I am a very busy man._

 _Sincerely,_

 _T. Payne_

 _The nerve of this man!_ Hermione had never been one to stand quietly while being insulted and she wasn't about to start now so, after ordering a new chai, she set to type a scatting reply to Tobias Payne.

 _Mr. Payne,_

 _How dare you? Not only do I find your judgement about my person ridiculous but also highly hypocritical. Your_ own _profile is a deterrent in itself, for I find that no man that suggests there are "females without some brains" can be intelligent. Did you sincerely think that someone like me (of which there is nothing fake I can assure you) could have been interested by someone as rude and presumptuous as yourself? It is my hope this is the end of our interaction as_ I _am a very busy woman myself._

 _Crossly,_

 _J. Wilkins._

* * *

Severus was coming back from his kitchen after fetching a fresh cup of tea when he saw the little tab brightening again. Sighing, he took a seat on his chair and switched tabs only to be met by a reply from the Wilkins woman. _Poor thing, she has made it too easy for me._

 _Miss Wilkins,_

 _If your profile is not fake, would you care to enlighten me as to how, exactly, do you consider yourself a "practical" quantum physicist? Do you even know what "quantum physics" are? Furthermore, even if you conceive an adequate answer, how exactly would "field research" be possible in this area? Are you creating black holes? Given how easily I blew up your cover, I suggest you desist now as I have some_ real _matters to attend to._

 _Smugly,_

 _T. Payne_

* * *

 _Mr. Payne,_

 _Even as I am sure now that you don't possess the wits necessary to understand poetry when you see it, I shall endeavor to disabuse your notions about my profession. You see, if people like you were more open to that which can't be explained logically within science boundaries, they were to find themselves in a_ magical _world. I do not know if you are a believer or not (I am not one in case you feared this was about to turn into a christening mission or something alike), but it is my firm believe there is something we can_ sense _even if it is not something we can fully grasp in our minds. Given that you call yourself an 'unorthodox chemist', would you be surprised if other people took your concoctions as everyday remedies without them passing through the approval of the pharmaceutical industry? Wouldn't you agree, then, Mr. Payne, that the ability to_ create _and to_ cure _your profession has dotted you with, can be considered_ magical _? In my case, I take pride in theorizing about all the possible permutations matter can take, including how abstract concepts like time and space affect said permutations. Besides this brief explanation to your simplistic suspicions, I have no other way to speak for myself when I sustain that I have nothing fake about me. I bid you a last goodbye and hope, for your sake, that you won't depart this live without having witnessed some magic within your boundaries._

 _Condescendingly,_

 _J. Wilkins_

* * *

 _This woman is a witch._ There was no other way, Severus knew by experience that no muggle would made so much allusions to magic (at least not without some religious fervor of some kind) in an adult conversation for fear of mockery. _If I'm right, she must be a Transfiguration or a Charms Mistress. She's 30, which means she must be from_ that _generation… surely she's not..._ Getting up quickly, Severus made a floo call to appase his suspicions.

"Minerva? Minerva are you there? I need to speak to you immediately!" Severus lost his patience at seeing the Headmistress Office empty and took out his head from the flames only to enter them again with his full body. "Minerva where the bloody hell are you?" Severus all but shouted at the still empty office after a quick scan of the room revealed nothing even though he sensed her magical presence.

"What is going on Severus, I'm right here!" Minerva McGonagall answered sternly after she stepped out from behind what Severus knew to be the 'pensive alcove'. On a closer look, as he noticed the trail of dry tears that framed the Headmistress face he gentled his tone. "You were reminiscing again were you not?"

"Nonsense, he is dead and looking at some old memories won't bring him back." Minerva replied stiffly while she walked back to her desk. "Now, what can I do for you Severus? We are halfway through summer break so I'm guessing this is a personal call rather than school-related".

Respecting her wishes for privacy, Severus let the subject drop and went straight to the matter "I need to see the students records from the generation of _Potter"_ despite all the years and the fact that he had agreed to a cease-fire with the young man, Severus found himself unable to pronounce Harry's name without some amount of venom.

Looking at him thoughtfully over her spectacles, Minerva reached down to her magical cabinet and thought of the year in question before pulling out a heavy binder from it. "Of course Severus, here it is, you know you can't take them out of this office though. May I ask why do you need them for?" Handing over the binder, Minerva signaled to a little desk in the corner for its perusal.

"Thank you Minerva, it's a… personal matter." Looking uncomfortable, Severus took the offered binder and quickly went to the little desk. Conjuring a parchment and a self-inking quill in case he needed to take some notes, he opened the binder and perused the general statics. _12 female students. This shouldn't take long._ After half an hour, a flustered looking Severus raised again with the binder clutched in his hand and headed to the Headmistress desk, who was currently working on the new Muggle-born students list.

"I…" that Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, Voldemort's ex-spy and Dumbledore's double-agent, stammered, made Minerva shot up her eyes quickly from her work. "I…" Severus tried again and, after taking a second breath he tried a third time "I need the binder for the generation previous to this and the one right after." Without commenting on it even as she was evidently dying to, the witch in front of her took out the requested binders and went back to work trying to look subtly at her Potions Professor working in the corner.

 _Just one other girl with a Master on Charms and she's already married. This can't be. It can't be her… but... she is!  
_

* * *

Meanwhile, Hermione sat with a book on her couch trying hard not to feel disappointed when Mr. Payne had not replied anymore. _That was what I want didn't I?_ The truth was that, even if Hermione would fight against Voldemort himself before admitting it, she had taken an instant like to the rude man because he reminded her of her former Potions Professor. _He is even a kind of potioneer himself._ Banging her book closed, Hermione decided to go for a jog in the park across the street to clear her mind. Donning her sport trainers and pulling her messy hair up in a bun, she started her workout with a quick walk before going into a mild run. However, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't outrun her memories…

" _Come in" had answered the voice she knew so well after knocking at the cool dungeon door._

" _Severus" Hermione had stood bravely in front of him even when the full of hate glare he sent her way had tears welling up her yes. "Please, if you would let me just explain-"_

" _There is nothing to explain Her- Miss Granger! I know what I saw!" At those words, all of Hermione's pain and regret had turned into anger._

" _So that's it then? Back to Miss Granger already?"_

" _Go back your man's embrace, or look for more options for all that I care!"_

" _Why you sanctimonious prat! If you would just listen you'd know that it was a stolen kiss HE gave me! But no, you have to jump into conclusions because you are too afraid to let anyone in! You are nothing but a coward! You are –"_

" _OUT!" He had roared and she had fled, sparing just one glance back with her heart broken._

She shook despairingly as the rain washed her tears away and headed back home to take a shower and change her clothes before catching a cold.

* * *

"So, tell me again, what is the problem?" Draining his fourth glass of Firewhiskey, Severus got up to pace again in front of Lucius Malfoy as his friend enunciated. "You found out that the woman you have been pinning after all these years has come back to England. You know for a fact that she is single and looking for a man. You also know where she lives and you have rehearsed the apology you are going to say to her. Besides drinking my best Firewhiskey, what exactly are you doing here?" Lucius drawled lazily as he regarded a pacing Severus.

"You know better than anyone it is not that easy Lucius! I just as good as called her a… a…"

"An easy woman" his friend supplied tactfully.

"Yes!" Severus fell down to his couch with this head in his hands, not noticing how his Firewhiskey glass was refilled with water instead. "After a few days I tracked her down to apologize, to beg her to come back with me and… and she was gone."

"At least now you know she has been in the States doing her double Mastership. Draco was right, the girl is an over-achiever." Lucius commented nonchalantly.

"What am I going to do? She will take a look at me and will get out of my sight before I've got the chance to even speak to her… that if she even considers going out with _Tobias Payne_ who has been rude to her for no reason." Pondering his long-time friend for a moment, Lucius decided he had had enough and got up from his seat.

"First of all, you will get a shower and good night sleep. Tomorrow morning you will reply to your Miss Gr- Wilkins and ask her on a date. Ask her to a place she wouldn't like to do a scene in and apologize quickly before presenting her with peace token. Like this one" Lucius produced a set of beautiful earrings in front of his wallowing friend "jewellery, it always works with women".

Severus nodded absentmindedly taking the offered box and went through the floo Lucius had already ignited. Tomorrow he would deal with his demons…

* * *

 _Miss Wilkins,_

 _I have to admit I was wrong in judging you so quickly. Would you please accept my most sincere apologies and go out in a date with me? I am sure we will have enough things in common to get past this. If our rendezvous doesn't please you rest assured I will leave you alone for good. If you wish so, we can meet tonight at "Le Gavroche". Please reply and ease my mind._

 _Hopefully,_

 _T. Payne_

Hermione was stunned as she read the short reply from the man she had been bickering with the day before. She felt foolish at the sense of disappointment that engulfed her when she looked at the message again. _He's not like Severus at all. Severus would have been more subtle in case he apologized when not outright steadfast on his point._ Hermione was about to delete the message when she remembered her conversation with Ginny just months before when she had returned from America.

"' _Mione you can't still be sad over him!"_

" _I know Gin. I went to America to study Charms and Transfiguration but in truth I just needed an excuse to be away from him. I was deluding myself, as soon as I arrived all the memories came flooding back."_

" _If you won't let me continue introducing you to my Ministry friends" at a pointed look a red-eyed Hermione gave her Ginny sighed "then at least try looking for someone by your own. A nail always take out another nail you know?"_

Coming back to the present, Hermione shook her head again and clicked the answer button. _Ginny is right, I have to move on with my life as he has evidently moved on with his._

 _Mr. Payne,_

 _Fine. One date. I'll see you at seven o'clock there._

 _Expectantly,_

 _J. Wilkins_

Hitting send, she tried to ignore her sadness about going to the same place where she and Severus had had their first date.

* * *

"This is not going to work."

"Stop pacing and relax. It will work. You've got the earrings right?"

"Yes."

"Good. You are looking smashing in your Slytherin glory my friend."

Taking out the long box from his pocket, Severus opened it to look at the beautiful emerald stones in there. They were beautiful, like _she_ had looked the day they went out for a costume party and she decided to wear Slytherin robs insisting he wore Gryffindor ones… he had refused. Frowning, he closed the box and gave it back to Lucius. "There are so _not_ her. I think I've got a better idea. Thank you Lucius." With that, he disappeared again leaving a stunned Lucius behind.

* * *

Hermione entered the fancy restaurant dressed in a simple yet elegant black dress and asked the waiter for the table of Tobias Payne. At the negative, Hermione's heart sank thinking he had not made it or, possibly, had just arranged the date to humiliate her. Just when she was about to leave, the waiter asked her name and she answered back automatically without thinking "Hermione Granger".

"Well then, there is no 'Tobias Payne' in the records Miss Granger, but there is a… colourful gentleman… who asked for you earlier".

"For me?" Hermione added confused "for Hermione Granger?"

"Yes."

"Not Jane Wilkins?"

"No…" the waiter looked at her with a frown on his face.

"Take me to him if you will" Hermione answered quickly before the waiter changed his mind. Still eyeing her suspiciously, he took her down the aisle and to the right corner. _Our table_ , Hermione thought with a pang as she realised that was the table to which the waiter was leading her. A gentleman in garishly red and gold colours was seated in it with the back to her. _Now the waiter's description makes sense… this definitely is someone who knows who I am for he's wearing unmistakably Gryffindor colours._

Hermione said thanks to the waiter and took a seat in front of her companion while thinking him extremely rude for he hadn't stood up to receive her or even reveal his identity, but was currently sitting hunched forward and covering his face with long elegant fingers. Not being able to take it anymore, Hermione snapped "who are you?"

Slowly, breathtakingly slowly, Severus uncovered his face and looked straight into Hermione's stunned eyes. "Hi."

"You are…"

"Yes."

An uncomfortable silence followed their first words. Her heart beat wildly. His had stilled. Not wanting to sound too hopeful, she added.

"How?"

"It wasn't intended. I got aware of your identity afterwards."

"After my impassionate speech of all things magical you mean" she had known it was cheeky but she had thought she was writing to a muggle.

"Yes."

Another silence. Somehow, his hand found hers over the table and her eyes filled again.

"You went away."

"You didn't look for me."

"I did."

"Too late."

Tears were flowing down her face freely now. Then it dawned on her.

"You are dressed on Gryffindor colours… you said…"

Severus waited for her response prying to Merlin and all that was holly for her acceptance.

"You said that day…" she was choking now but she made herself go on clinging to his hand "you said that you would only wear Gryffindor colours when… when you…"

"What is your answer?"

Hermione couldn't believe it. After all this time. After not knowing anything of him for three years….

* * *

"Well?"

"She did make a scene."

"I am sorry to hear that Severus. I would offer you a drink to drown your sorrows but you appear to be over it finally."

"I'm here to ask you another favour."

"I'm not taking you out of that date service."

"I was actually wishing that would be the second favour."

"Which is the first?"

"Would you be my best man?"

THE END

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** None of the characters used in this story are mine. They belong to the universe of Harry Potter created by J. K. Rowling and as such I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes, no profit made.

 **A/N:** I'm posting this little one-shot in the hopes that my few followers will be rewarded for their loyalty to my first fic, _A Dreadful Year,_ and will excuse the tardiness of Chpt 5 as I'm going on vacations for the next couple of weeks.


End file.
